The invention relates to a door for a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle.
The German Auslegeschrift (DAS) No. 1,480,089 discloses a door having a frame surrounding a window cutout constituting an upper region, and a supporting device which is potted in a synthetic resin body constituting a lower region. Viewed from outside the door, this synthetic resin body extends upward as fas as the lower edge of the window cutout.
A door with its lower part made of plastic has the advantage of reducing the possibility of corrosion. It is precisely the lower part of the door which is most exposed to corrosion and this part is made of a material which does not exhibit a tendency to corrode as does sheet metal. In addition, the weight of the door is reduced, in comparison with the weight of a door made completely of metal. However, in the mass production of such a door, these advantages are offset by disadvantages which make it practically unfeasible. During the potting process, the upper area of the door--i.e., the part made of sheet metal--must also be placed in the mold, resulting in considerable expenditure for large molds which are occupied for long periods of time during curing.
This known construction is also unsatisfactory because any damage to the door, when mounted in a vehicle, makes it necessary to replace the entire door since the two areas cannot be separated from one another.